PutintoMeetwithUNChiefonFriday-Spokesman

Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the southern Russian resort of Sochi on Friday, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

SOCHI, May 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the southern Russian resort of Sochi on Friday, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday.

Ban Ki-moon will pay an official visit to Russia on May 16-19 and will hold talks with Russia’s top diplomat Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday. The visit will be Ban’s sixth to Russia, with the previous one paid in April 2011.

The UN chief will meet with Foreign Minister Lavrov on May 17 to discuss key international issues, including the situation in the Middle East and North Africa, and particularly the Syrian crisis and developments on the Korean peninsula, the ministry said.

The ministry also said it hopes Ban will discuss social and economic aspects of the United Nations activities and plans for the organization’s development after 2015.